The subject matter disclosed herein relates to automated packaging machines. More specifically, the subject disclosure relates to an adjustable gripper head assembly for automated packaging machines.
Automated packaging devices are often used in high volume production facilities to prepare products for sale and shipment. One type of automated packaging device is a continuous motion packaging machine. In such a packaging machine, an infeed section gathers product, for example, bottles, and moves the product along in a flow direction toward a grouper section. The grouper section collates product into a number of individual lanes. The product then moves to a gripper section where the product is gripped and moved into a case or other package in a case feed section.
The gripper section typical includes a plurality of gripper head assemblies, with each gripper head assembly including a plurality of grabbers which close around a product in the grouper section to grip the product and move the product to the case feed section where the product is placed in a package when the grabbers release the product. A typical gripper head assembly is configured to be used with a single size or shape of product such that when it is desired to process different sizes or shapes of product through the automated packaging device, the gripper head assembly must be replaced with one which is compatible with that product. Replacement of gripper head assemblies decreases flexibility of the automated packaging machine and substantially increases changeover time from processing one product to another. Further, the cost of operation of the automated packaging machine is substantially increased since, for each size or shape of product, separate gripper head assemblies must be procured.